point by letter or by special messenger, and meantime to proceed,after consultation with Colonel Smith, Minnesota State Militia, to any point that was menaced by the savages. It is the intention of General Sibley to keep this detachment on patrol duty outside of the outer stations for some time to come, together with such mounted men as can be spared from Fort Ridgely for the same purpose. They should be kept constantly in motion in such numbers and at such points as will best secure the object of detecting any attempt on the part of the Indians to approach the settlements, and to render their retreat, should they succeed in passing the lines undiscovered, more difficult. Lieutenant Darrow is an efficient officer,and in his detachment are eighteen of Brackett's battalion, veterans who have seen much service, and who are temporarily assigned to duty with Company K. The scouts on the Redwood should be spurred up to greater activity. Much depends upon their vigilance and faithful discharge of duty. The brigadier-general commanding is not without some faint hope that they may have intercepted the flight of the savages engaged in the late raid. Every means at the disposal of the military authorities must be employed in putting down and punishing these Indian raids, and no mercy must be shown to any of the actors. You will please cause a thorough inspection to be made of the horses at Fort Ridgely, and report the number serviceable. The report of the 8th instant states it at sixty-one.

By command of Brigadier-General Sibley:

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. C. OLIN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. DIV. OF MINNESOTA, DEPT. OF THE NORTHWEST, Saint Paul, Minn., August 16, 1864.

Lieutenant-Colonel PFEANDER,
Commanding Second Sub-District, Fort Ridgely:

COLONEL: Your dispatches of the 13th and 14th instant from the Watonwan and near Madelia, respectively, have been duly received. General Sibley is greatly disappointed and mortified at the escape of the small party of Indians who committed the murders, &c., on the Blue Earth River, with the stolen horses and other plunder. The good fortune of these savages in venturing into a thickly settled part of the State, killing citizens and committing depredations, and their retreat without the loss of a man through our outposts, will of course encourage them and their fellows to attempt fresh and still greater raids in the future. General Sibley directs if you have not already done so that a full report of all the facts made to these headquarters, and that a strict inquiry be instituted into the circumstances attendant upon the failure of Captain Smith and his party to destroy at least a part of the Indians, after having so well succeeded in overtaking them. It also has been reported to Governor Miller that our detachments were found deficient in ammunition and provisions. You will inquire also into the correctness of these reports, for, if correct, there has been a great waste of the former, for which some one is responsible.

By command of Brigadier-General Sibley:

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. C. OLIN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.